FILE PHOTO: A Volkswagen logo is seen on a new car model at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland March 5, 2019. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Volkswagen cannot buy a stake in Russian automaker GAZ because the company is under U.S. sanctions and talks on a deal have been suspended, RIA news agency reported on Wednesday, citing the head of VW’s Russian operations.

Sanctioned businessman Oleg Deripaska has been seeking to divest his stake in GAZ as part of a potential deal with the United States to lift its sanctions on the company and VW was viewed as a possible buyer.